What You Need to Know About Staph Infection!

Staph stands for Staphylococcus, a group of bacteria that cause a range of diseases when several tissues in the body are hit with an infection.  There are various types of Staphylococci that can infect humans, but the usual suspect is Staphylococcus aureus. 

A staph infection may be mild or severe; it may require no treatment and heal on its own, or become potentially fatal. Staphylococci can develop on the skin and in the nose of 25%-30% of today’s adult population. The bacteria don’t bring about disease in most cases, but damage to the skin or some other injury may surface once the bacteria prosper and overcome the body’s natural protective mechanisms. Once this happens, an infection occurs.

Although anyone on the planet can have a Staph infection, some people are simply at higher risk. Examples include newborns, breastfeeding mothers, and those suffering from chronic conditions like cancer, diabetes, lung disease, vascular disease, and skin disease. Other people who are more likely to develop a Staph infection than the rest are drug addicts; those with surgical incisions; those with intravenous catheters; and those with a weak immune system.

A Staph infection carries several symptoms. Usually, when Staphylococcal disease sets in, there is a localized collection of pus in the skin. This is referred to as boil, abscess, or furuncle and may appear swollen and red. It may be painful as well. When the infection has already hit the blood, as when sepsis or bacteremia is involved, chills, fever, and low blood pressure can be expected.

A Staph infection is generally treated with the use of antibiotics, including nonprescription triple-antiobiotic mixtures. Oral antibiotics are sometimes given when the infection targets the skin. In cases where pus is present, surgical draining is recommended. Intravenous antibiotics are utilized for the treatment of more serious, even life-threatening, infections. The kind of antibiotics used will depend on the strain of the Saphyloccocus found, as determined by laboratory culture results.